My name is Daniela Millan and I’m a jewelry designer from Venezuela. I started to explore entrepreneurship unconsciously since I got out of college. I remember dreaming about it, but not knowing exactly what it meant. At that moment I wasn't clear about my career path, but I've always been the type of person who enjoys the creative process of conceptualizing an idea. For a long time, I thought I was never able to make a living from my creativity, so I worked in the financial industry for several years trying to make a career that did not make me feel successful or happy.
Leaving my home country was the perfect excuse to start again. I think being an immigrant is so much more than having access to good jobs or more opportunities, sometimes it is about finding yourself.
When I was living in NYC, I remember that at least once a week, I used to have lunch at Bryan Park and walk to the garment district feeling amazed by all the textures and colors of the fabric's stores. I think art and fashion are things that have always fascinated me. One day I found this craft store full of jewelry supplies, I bought a needle and copper wire. The next day I started knitting for no reason and without following any pattern. I wasn't thinking about making something in particular but, I remember the feeling, it was relaxing and enjoyable. I literally could have spent hours doing it, for me it was a kind of meditation therapy.
At that moment I didn't have a product. I have an idea, but I just realized that I needed to do something to chase that feeling so after a lot of prototypes and samples, I finally started thinking about how to use this technique to make jewelry. The most amazing thing about handcrafted pieces is that there is no way that you can make an identical knitting, and this is something truly unique and special.
To me this beautiful, crocheted gold circle shape it’s the perfect description of what it means being a woman, sometimes complex, with many challenges, full of movements and qualities, trying adapting but always beautiful, confident, strong and unique. She is my daily inspiration.
After few years when I moved to Mexico City, I decided to create the Daniela Millan Jewelry brand. I invited my sister and co-owner Lorena to join me and since then we have been building our own philosophy: Our pieces are a tribute to women, not only to make them feel beautiful but to make them feel confident and empowered.
Few years passed and now we have a strong and beautiful brand showcasing in more than 20 high profile boutiques, we have participated in several fashion shows, and we’re constantly featured in very well-known fashion magazines around the world. But the best reward we've ever had is the feeling of lifting women up through our work.